Toolholder



R. L. YOKE, JR

Aug. 23, 1949.

TOOLHOLDER Filed March 15, 1948 www@ w a '.[frn/evllorn Ro bert L.. qYoke JP ATlo'r-nmjs Patented Aug. 23, 1949 UNITED STATE TOOLHOLDER Robert L. Yoke, Jr., Portland, Oreg., assigner of one-fourth to Robert L. Yoke, Portland, Oreg.

Application March 13, 1948, Serial No. 14,680

This invention relates to tool holders particularly adapted for receiving and holding the Shanks, tangs or end portions of tools. While the invention is not to be necessarily so limited, the tool holder is suitable for use in connection with such toolsas files, knife blades, saw blades, chisels, screw drivers and the like. Holders or handles have been developed heretofore for use in connection with such tools but their usage has'been more or less limited to certain specific types of tools and they have not been generally adapted for use with tools having shanks, tangs, or end portions of diverse sizes and shapes, such as round, at, polygonal, parallel sided and tapered sided.

It is the general obj ect of the present invention, therefore, to provide a new and improved tool holder which is capable of receiving and securely holding tools having shank, or end portionsof a wide variety of different sizes and shapes.

A further object of my invention is to provide a tool holder including a pair of jaws and ya mounting arrangement therefor whereby thejaws may be brought into firm gripping engagement with the end portion of a tool over a considerable length thereof irrespective of the cross-sectional shape or relative angular relation of the opposite surfaces of the tool end. v

A'still further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved tool holder including a pairf of jaws and a novel actuating mechanism therefor whereby the opposite end portions of the jaws are urged into gripping engagement with the end portion of the tool independently of each other.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved tool holder of the class described consisting of relatively few parts of simple design and which are capable of inexpensive manufacture and quick assembly.

In accordance with the illustrated embodiment, my invention comprises a handle member having a longitudinal passage extending therethrough and a pair of similar opposed elongated jaws mounted within one end of said passage. Adjustment means are mounted in the opposite end of the handle and operatively connected to the jaws for adjustment thereof into and out of the aforementioned passage. A pair of guide means are arranged in a longitudinally spaced apart relation within the first mentioned end of the passage, each dening shoulders for cooperatively engaging adjacent portions of the jaws for causing movement of the opposite ends of the jaws relatively together as the jaws are adjusted inwardly of the passage by actuation of the adjust- 14 Claims. (Cl. 279-53) ment means. The extent of relative movement of the opposite end portions of the jaws toward each other is determined by the relative angularity of the opposite surfaces of the tool end in-v serted therebetween. By virtue of the arrangement of parts, a rm gripping force is applied between longitudinally spaced points on the end of the tool inserted between the jaws and, furthermore, substantially independently of the relative angle of slope between the 'opposite surfaces of the tool end portion.

For a consideration of what is believed novel and inventive, attention is directed tothe following description taken in connection with the ac'- companying drawings while the features of novelty will be pointed out with greater particularity in the appended claims. v

In the drawings, Fig. l is a perspective View illustrating the tool holder constructed in'accordance with one form of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a phantom view in the same perspective as Fig. 1 but with the handle body removed in order to show various internal elements of the tool;

Fig. 3 is an upper end view of the holder shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section view taken alon the line 5--5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional View taken along the line B-E of Fig. 4; Y

Fig. 7 is a View in perspective illustrating on of the jaws incorporated in the tool holder;

Fig. 8 is a view in perspective illustrating one of the guide elements incorporated in the tool holder;

Fig. 9 is a View in perspective illustrating a further guide element incorporated in the tool holder; i

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view illustrating the relative positions of parts of the tool holder with the end portion of a tool mounted therein; and

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary detail view illustrating the relative position of parts with a different type of tool mounted therein than is illustrated therein in Fig. 10.

The tool holder illustrated includes a handle or body member I ll which may be of any suitable material such as, for example, wood or plastic and which is of a generally cylindrical configuration and provided with ribs or flutes on its outer surface to provide a more comfortable grip in the users hand. The body membel` lll is` provided with a longitudinal passage ll extending therethrough within which passage is mounted certain of the component parts of the holder mechanism.

A pair of jaws I4 are mounted within one end of the passage I I, the outermost ends of the jaws being outwardly flared for facilitating the insertion of an end portion of a tool therebetween. One of the jaws lil is shown more clearly in the detail view` of Fig. 7 and; by reference to which view, it will be noted that the jaw is substantially nat, though actually slightly curved in the longi;l tudinal direction, and has a central longitudinal groove I5 and a plurality of transverse grooves I in the face thereof for providingwilnproved gripping action against the surface of the tool. Op-

posite edge portions of the jaw I4 are'. cutawayl dening a pair of aligned shiild'e'rs i3 adjacent the upper end thereof and a pair of oppositely extending lugs It on the lower end of the jaw defining laterally extending shoulders 2G facing the lateral shoulders i8. i l

`Adjustment means is provided on the end of the body rnember lIE) opposite the jaws lean'd is operatively connected to the jaws for eiecting adjustment thereof longitudinally of the passa-'ge Il. The adjustment ineens' includes e, knob 22 or substantially the saine eiiternal diameter as the body member l0 and having a cylindrical portion 23v eten'dnginto a cooperating cylindrical bore provided in the end of thepassa'ge El. lifldjlilstment of the: jaws i4 is effected by rotation of the f knot 2,2 and, in order to reduce friction between thekn'ob and the handle, a washer 24 of a suitatie material, suoli as steel, Vis assembled about thel cylindrical portion 23 of the knob and suitably secured in place such as by means of prongs 25 tightly engaging or penetrating the side walls f the Portion 23:, A pair of guid in eans are larranged in a longitudinally spaced apart relation in the end of ,the

passage Lwhich the jaws Ijll are mounted, which' guide 'means are cooperatively engagedw by the adjacent shouldeprtionsof the rjaws whereby, upon longitudinal adjustment ofthe jaws into the handley as when the end of a tool is to be mounted therebetween, the opposite end portions ofthe jaws are urged towaru'eacli other' arid into engagement with the adjacent surfaces ofthe tool. vin tire illustrated eniboonnenteaeh or the guide means defines pairs of converging shoulders; the shoulders of each of the guide means facing in a direction away from the other guide means and which shoulders are adapted 'to be' engaged by the shoulders I8 and 2i) of the jaws. In such instances where the body member lil is made vof relatively soit material such as wood or plastic, the first guide means, in the upper end 'of the handle, comprises a pair `of similar steel inserts Zijl-one `.of which is illustrated in greater detail in Fig. 8. Each of the inserts 30 consists of a semicircularilange portion `3L and a right angularly extending skirt portion 3'2, the outer dimensions ofthe skirt, portion and the shape thereof being such as to nt snugly in the assembled relation within the upper endof the passage II. For reasons as will become apparent hereinafter, the passage I I is of an elongated octagonal cross sectionV having relatively wide opposite side walls 29, asshownmreolearly in Aljig, 6. The side wall portion 33 of theinsert 30 is provided witha cutout defining apair1 oflconverging shoulders 3d and which may be aptly described as a l shoulder facilite cutwsidly vor the passage Within which the et'e'nds 'horizontally into the horizontal an'ge inserts- Yare mounted, The upper end por- Vff cutout defining the lid-shoulclerA portion 3l to provide clearance for the enlarged upper end portion of the jaws I4. The width of the jaws I 4 is such that, when they are assembled in the holder as illustrated in Fig. 2, the shoulders IS engage cooperatively against the V shoulders 34 of the inserts 39, the space between the side wall portions Y33 of the inserts in the assembled relation being slightly greater than the 4,width of the jaws between the shoulders I8 and 20. The means operatively connecting the adjustmentknob 22 and the lower` ends of the jaws Ill includes a second guide means for electing movement of the lower ends of the jaws relatively toward each other as, the jaws are adjusted in a direction inwardly of the passage I I. This second guide means is in the form of a sleeve unit which surroundsv the lower ends of the jaws M and, for convenience of manufacture, is made up of two similar channel shaped elements Il@ one of which is shownin greaterfdetail in Fig'. 9.v The sleeve unit comprising trie two halves im is longitudinally slidable within the passage I I and the outer cross-sectional shape thereof conforms generally to the polygonal 'cross-sectional configuration of the passage so that the sleeve unit will not rotate or twist therein. The relatively wide side wall portion il of each' of the elements 40 is provided with a V shaped slot 42 dening 'a pair of converging shoulders ilS facing in the opposite direction with resp-eet to trie shoulders 3'4 of the inserts 30. The angle of slope of the shoulders 43 is preferably, though not necessarily, the same as that of the shoulders 34, while the width ol the slotsv42 is such as cooperatively to receive the laterally extending lug portions I9 of the jaws I4. ns viewed in Figs. 2 and 4, it will be observed that the converging ends of the slots 442 extend toward the upper end of the passage H or toward first guide means de ned by the inserts 30 1 portions 't9 by a distance,corresponding to the thickness cf the nut "411. The opposite edge walls ortlie elements to are tapered inwardly 'at their lower ends, however, as indicated 'at 52, in order to denne a squarerecess for more securely holding the mit al tnere'w'ithin.

l lIn the operation 'of the device, the knob 22 is unscrewed and the sleeve unit pushed thereby toward tlie upper end of the body member movingthe jaws I d'ont'wardly of the passage. The pointed portion eases Fig. 4, foniiedby the v slots d2 extends be en the lug portions I9 of the jaws tenoingnto 'spread the inner'` ends of tlie jaws apart. The 'end portion of a tool, such as a shank or tang, may then be inserted between the jaws and the knob 22 may be turnedVY to draw the nut lll and the, sleeve unit downwardly within the handle. The shoulders I8 of the Ajaws I4 riding upon the V shoulders` 34 of the inserts 30 wilLby cani action, Yforce the upper end portions of tnesjawsztoward each other and, similarly, the

' shoulders 20 of the lower ends of the jaws I4 riding upon the shoulders-43 of the V slots #2 will drawthe lower ends of the jaws together.

lltv will be observed that the movement of the upper end portions of the jaws relatively together will be independent ofthe relative movementtogether of the lower end portions of the jaws sov that the jaws will automatically adjust themselves to the relative angularity of .slope of the-opposite surfaces of the tool element inserted therebetween.' Referring to the explanatory fragmentary view of Fig. 10, a tool is Vshown mounted within the holder having a small diameter round rod-like endportionl the V,opposite surfaces of which, are parallel with `respect to. each other so that the jaws I4 are brought intoengagement with the opposite.., surfaces thereof'ina parallel relation with respect to each other. For facilitating the gripping Vaction upon a rounded surface such as that presented by the small diameter round rodl tool end portion 60, the longitudinal grooves l5 provided on the face of the jaws prevent slippage of the tool transversely of the faces of theY jaws. The longitudinal grooves l5 arealso useful when a three-cornered or small square tang is inserted into the holder. In Fig. A11, the tang ofra iile 62'is shownV inserted vbetweenthe jaws of the tool holder, the opposite surfaces of the tang being disposed at an appreciable angle with respect toeach other. The jaws of the tool holder are shown in the position which they will inherently occupy upon tightening of the knob,22 in rm engagementwith each of the opposite sloping` surfaces ci the', tang. With the jaws slightly curved in the'long-itudinal direction as shown in Fig. 7, gripping action upon the tool shank willl be concentrated at the opposite end portions of the jaws. A

Due to the cam action of the shoulders I8 and 2l] upon' the cooperating converging shoulders of the pairs of guide means provided within the handle passage, a relatively great force is imposed between the jaws and the surfaces of the tool portion inserted therebetween evenwith relatively slight effort impressed upon the knob 22 wherebythe tool is heldin a firmly gripped relation throughout usage of the tool. y e

Particular attention is directed to the fact that a tool end'may be extended for a considerable length into the holder, beyond the lowermost ends ofthe jaws. .This is cf considerable importance since it enables a wide angle of adjustment of the length of the tool projecting from the holder. Furthermore, this construction enables usage of the holder with double ended tools such as screw driver bars, in which case one end of the bar may be shaped for use with slotted head screws and the other end shaped'for cruciform recessedA head screws. The functional head of such a bar may be inserted into the holder below the lower ends of the jaws and which jaws can then be tightened againstthe opposite sides of the bar beyond the bit end.

vIt willbe obvious to those skilled in the art that' the holder described may be economically manufactured and easily assembled. -The handle body member I@ and the knob 22 may readily be molded out of plastic material, while the steel inserts 3i), jaws I4, sleeve unit elements 40 and washer 24 may be stamped from sheet stock. The

screw de and nut lll may be conventional stock items. e

Having described theinvention in what is considered to be a preferred embodiment thereof, it is desired that it be understoodthat the specific detailsdescribed are merely illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. I

I claim:

through,- apair of longitudinal opposed jaw mem- LAA tool` holder comprising a bodymember,Y an elongated passage. extending through saidbcdy member, Aa first guide means defining a pair; of V shoulders arranged on opposite sidesof said passage adjacent one endv thereof, said shoulders facing outwardly ofSa-dpassage,v a pairof elongated jaws mountedinsaid passage adjacent said one end, each of saidjaws having shoulders on,each of the oppositejsides thereof forV .cooperatively engaging against said -V shoulders, a second guide means spaced from saidflrst guide Imeans comprising sleeve means slidably arranged in said passage, having-VM slots formed therein. on the opposite sidesv thereof and on the same sides of said passagel as said V shoulders, the vconverging ends of saidslots extending toward said rst guide means, outwardly extending shoulders on the inner ends of said jaws extending cooperatively within said slots, vand means mounted in the end of said passage opposite said one end for adjusting said second guide means; longitudinally of said passage.

42. A toolfholder comprising a body member, an elongated Vpassage extending through said y body member, -a rst guide means defining a, pair of outwardly facing V shoulders onu .opposite sides of Asaid passage `adjacent one end thereof,` a` pair of elongated jaws mountedgin'saidypassage adjacent said one endfandeach havinglaterally extending shoulders oneach of the oppositefsides thereof Vfor cooperatively engaging against, said V shoulders, sleeve means insaidpassage having V slots formed therein on the .opposite sides thereof and on the same sides of said` passage as said Vshoulders, the converging ends of said slots extending towardgsaid first guide means, laterally extending shoulders on the innerv ends of said jaws extending cooperatively within said Vslots, and meansmounted in theend of saidA passage opposite said one end for adjusting said sleev means longitudinally of said passage..4 L e l 3. A tool holder according to claim 2 and wherein said passage and said sleeve means are of similar polygonal cross-sectional shape whereby rotation of said sleeve .means` within said passage is precluded. y @4. A tool holder according-to claim 2 and wherein a nut is loosely mounted in one end. of said sleeve means, said sleeve means including means cooperativelyengaging said nut for restraining said nut against relative rotation with respect to said sleeve means, and said adjusting means includes a screw cooperatively threaded in said nut. y

5. A tool holder comprising a body member, an elongated passage extending throughsaid body member, a pair of `similar cooperating opposed jaws mounted for longitudinal' movement within one end of said passage, a guide means defining alpair of outwardly facing...V shoulders on opposite sides of said passageadjacent said one end, said jaws` each having portions on the opposite sides thereof cooperatively engaging against such Vshoulders, said V shoulders causing movement of said jaws relatively together upon movement ofsaid jaws into said passage, adjustment means mounted in the end of said passage opposite said. one endand means operatively connecting said adjustment means and said pair of jaws for causing movement of said jaws longitudinally 'of said passage uponmanipulation of said adjustment means. 1 l

6. A tool holder comprising a body member' having `anfelongated passage extending there- 

